since I started being sexually active i often experienced burning in my vagina which was often worse during sex /around the time of my period or when using lubricants. I was never able to use tampons because the one time i tried putting them in it felt like acid was poured on my skin. Fast forward to 2 months ago when I got a UTI and an allergic reaction in my vagina. I thought it …

So 7 years ago I had a case of BV...the antibiotic caused a horrible yeast infection which took 5 months to 'get rid of'. During this time I had allergic reactions to 2 of the yeast infection creams which magnified the pain. Over the past 7 years I've tried multiple rounds of physical therapy (they only slightly helped), chiropractic, nerve blocks, medications to target nerve pain (amitriptyline, …

Hello,
Has anyone had success with this cream in helping their vulvodynia? How long has it taken to help? I’ve had some success with it, but not completely better. I’ve been on it for a month. I️ was hoping to hear from some ladies who have had major success with this cream. I’m hoping for some encouragement here. This condition is so frustrating. I’m lucky enough to have access to two …

After years of being misdiagnosed etc as most women have on this forum I have finally been diagnosed with vulvodynia (yay) and have been given the lowest dose of an antidepressant called Amitriptyline. Has anyone been on this before and has any positive (or negative) news to give me? Im feeling down already and I've only been taking it for a few days, I don't have much hope of it …

I'm new here and wanted to ask for some advice whilst I wait to see a specialist nurse.

After urinary problems which lasted 7 weeks, I finally saw a urologist, who on examination discovered significant inflammation and called in a gynaecologist, who diagnosed vestibulitis. They referred me to a nurse who specialises in vulvar skin issues. That was 5 weeks ago, and I'm still waiting for the …

Hi guys new here and newly diagnosed. So I had bv and then after alot of antibiotics and home remedies I still continued to have weird symptoms despite swabs being negative. Two seperate gynes have told me I have vulvodynia as a result of the area being overwhelmed. So first gave me lidocaine which xidnt do much. No I am on amitriptyline for the past 5 days. Seems to be kicking in a little (im a …

I'm here because I'm pretty sure I have secondary provoked vestibuldynia, even though my gyno is still "optimistic" it is not. My problem started six months ago when I got my second UTI in as many months (after going 25 years of life without one) and then ended up with a bad yeast infection (also my first one ever) thanks to the antibiotics. Ever since the yeast …

Hello everyone. I have recently been diagnosed with unprovoked vulvodynia and would really appreciate some advice and support. I have had a chronic urine infection for 16 months and was on antibiotics for 9 of those months. I have been very uncomfortable for the entire time, but now I have absolutely unbearable stinging and burning all day with itching too. The infection has just about gone, …

Long Story, but I am losing my mind and getting really depressed, so if I tell the full story maybe someone can help me.

Back in August I started to get an itch down there. Normally, in the past, when this would happen, I would change the way I wore my clothes, take more baths instead of showers, and use Monistat. This time, after about two weeks of no relief, I started to get concerned. I was …

I don't believe I have ever been on a site of this nature in my life. I have been a vulvodynia sufferer for 7 years now and I can sympathize with anyone who is overwhelmed from the intense, ok, excruciating, pain associated with it. I want to tell my story because perhaps someone else will have a similar situation and not even realize it. I'm sure there are many more reasons for vulvodynia than the reason I have it, but I want to give hope to anyone who has this same background.

When I went to my gynecologist about the pain he instantly said, "vulvodynia!" I had no idea what he was talking about, but he was sure of his diagnosis. However, he had no knowledge of how to treat it. He did know that no drugs could touch it. He began by referring me to a dermatologist to be sure it wasn't due to a skin condition. The dermatologist was dumbfounded, not having any idea what to do with me. I had no skin problem and he didn't even know what vulvodynia was. He referred me on to another doctor, who referred me to another doctor, and on it went. I thought we were getting close when I went to a urologist, because I was making so many bathroom visits in a day, and especially at night. I had no bladder problems, so he sent me to bladder therapy. All I learned from that was that my muscles are totally exhausted from fighting accidents around the clock. The treatments were no help at all so I stopped them.

Meanwhile, the pain that I thought was so bad only got worse. When the pain is at its worst, so is the tremendous urge to urinate. That, too, is very painful. I'm only telling this because it has totally disrupted my life and my days and activities are built around the very limited things I can do. The worst thing for me is that I can't travel more than about 30 minutes at a time on a really good day, so even shopping trips are a problem. Perhaps some of you can relate.

I observed myself closely, and I kept telling each doctor that I felt that somehow the pain is connected to my back. I looked at charts of the nervous system and saw that the nerves running from my very low back go to the bladder and the entire vulvar area. Doctor after doctor denied the connection. Only my chiropractor said it made total sense. When I wake up in the morning without pain, all I have to do is lean over to tie a shoe or pick something up and the pain hits hard. I found that sitting helps a lot, but I cannot handle sitting on a chair without a medical cushion. I tried many kinds, and finally found that the ones with a cutout for the tailbone are the best for me.

I had an MRI of my lumbar spine and have a number of problems there: bulging disks, spinal stenosis, arthritis, etc., so that area of my back is bad and I have had chiropractic treatments for that for years. At that time I was given Neurontin to take. Not only did it not work, but I had a bad reaction to it.

Finally, last year, I was referred to doctor number 15. I immediately told him that if he couldn't help me, I was through with my search. I was totally whipped. This doctor was an anesthesiologist who talked with me a long time and said he thought he knew what is causing my problem. He asked if I had ever broken my tailbone. I said I had when I was a young girl in junior high, and then had fallen on it again about 10 years before. He explained that it is not uncommon for a tailbone to heal almost completely, but there might be the slightest part that somehow didn't heal fully. Over time, it can cause this kind of pain. The best part is....They can help with the pain!!!!

I had a series of 3 injections in my tailbone, which is part of the sympathetic nervous system. Please don't hold it against me if I don't get this completely accurate, but the idea is correct (I'm not a medical person in any way). No oral medications can penetrate those nerves, therefore the pain communication between the nerves and the brain can't be interrupted. However, a steroid injection, at least a series of them, can do the job for the most part. I'll take any relief I can! I thought the injections would be horrible, but while they're not my idea of fun, it really wasn't all that bad. After the 3rd injection I felt I was at about 85% improved! The doctor was astonished at my good results because they usually don't see such results when the condition has gone on for so long. We decided I would have one more injection and see if I could get even a bit better. However, right at that time we had to move out of state and I couldn't get the last one.

The amazing thing is, I was able to make the 600+ mile trip both ways to find a home, and then make the trip again when we moved. I hadn't traveled more than 35 miles in 3 years. In between things I did a tremendous amount of heavy work to pack and unpack. My husband had just had back surgery and couldn't do much, so I did more than usual, and I had very little pain! How awesome is that??? We have been here for 5 months now, and the pain is back in all its glory. Only today, the 4 th doctor in my new area said he can repeat the injections and expects good results. I can hardly wait to get them! Also, they can give these throughout my life as needed.

I was also told that I will always have to be careful of my back, and always use my pillow. I carry that thing around like it's my baby blankie! But that's a small price to pay for comfort it gives.

The other factor in my improvement is that there was a tremendous amount of prayer that went into my healing as well. Will I ever be fully healed? I don't know. If not, just being tons better is good enough. Just being able to function normally will be good enough. Not having to get up up to 15 and 20 times in the night will be good enough.

I so hope there are others of you who will find this information a help. If you have ever broken your tailbone and have vulvodynia, please go to the doctor. The only ones I know of who can give those injections are in a pain clinic or are anesthesiologists. My new doctor is an anesthesiologist and works in a pain clinic. Extra good!